Exhaust gas conditioner



March 19, 1957 J. P. RUTH EXHAUST GAS coupmoum Filed 001;. 18, 1954 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY .m F W 4 a Q .I 8 w 2 3 e BJZI 0 I u A n/ f 2 m 42 lll J2 M w. 3 m 2 2 2 3 I, 1 ill m a a 9 5? 0: 3 =1 6 o. I 9 2 w 3 I w w 4 United States Patent O EXHAUST GAS CONDITIONER Joseph P. Ruth, Denver, Colo.

Application October 18, 1954, Serial No. 462,891

5 Claims. (Cl. 23-284) As a development from and an improvement over the apparatus disclosed .in my patents, Number 2,677,601, dated May 4, 1954; Number 2,678,261, dated May 11, 1954; and my pending application Serial No. 396,049, .filed December 3, 1953, the instant invention relates to exhaust gas conditioners operable in accordance with and ate give effect to the principles of the method described in ;my Patent No. 2,611,680, dated September 23, 1952, and .has as an object to provide a novel, improved, and efiicient -construction and organization of elements constituting an exhaust gas conditioner. s

A further object of the invention is to provide an organization and correlation of elements of enhanced toperative advantage in the amelioration of internal combustion engine exhaust gases circulated therethrough in reaction to the gas output pressures.

A further object of the invention is to provide an exhaust gas conditioner construction eliminative of certain shortcomings of hitherto known analogous units.

A further object of the invention is to provide an exhaust gas conditioner construction operable to eflect effi- The lower portion of the housing functions as a reservoir to confine a charge of water in a maximum depth determined by one or more plugged ports 17 in the side walls 12 and 13 slightly above the mid-height of said walls, and-a flat partition 18 spaced from and parallel to the end walls 10 and 11 closes against the side walls 12 and 13 and the bottom 14 to divide the reservoir portion of the housing into two equal compartments and rises interiorly of the housing to project its upper edge above the liquid level determined by the ports 17. A rigid, open grid 19 is supported, as by means of brackets 20 fixed to the end walls 10 and 11 and partition 18, in spaced parallelism with the housing bottom 14 at or just above the liquid level determined by the ports 17 and provides support for a reticulate or foraminous sheet 21 which spans entirely across the housing interior in edgeclosing relation with the housing side and end walls.

,A tubular fitting 22 is fixed to and upstands centrally from the bottom panel 14 in intersecting relation with the lower portion of the partition 18 to threadedly receive the lower end of a tubular conduit 23 thereby mounted to upbelow the upper margin of the fitting 22 when the panel cient and repetitious exposure of exhaust gases to ameliorating influences under the sole influence of the exhaust gas output pressures.

A further object of the invention is to provide an exhaust gas conditioner that is simple and inexpensive of production in appropriate sizes and capacities, that is adaptable to operative association with a variety of particular engine installations, that is free from onerous maintenance and servicing requirements, that is susceptible of convenient rehabilitation and repair, and that is eflicient in the attainment of the purposes for which designed throughout long periods of practical use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangemeng and operative combination of elements as hereinafter,,described, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in whichl i Figure 1 is an isometric view of a typical embodiment of the invention as organized ready for practical use, portions of an exterior housingbeing broken away to disclose otherwise concealed construction.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken substantiallyvertic-ally, longitudinally, and centrally through the organization according to Figure 1 with certain elements of the former view omitted. V

Figure 3 is a cross section taken substantially on the indicated line 3--3 of Figure 2.

The various elements and features of the invention are assembled within or associated with a preferably rectangular exterior housing comprised from spacedly-paral lel, flat end walls 10 and 11 marginally closing against the. edges of spacedly parallel, flat sidewalls 12 and 13, a flat bottom panel 14 sealed to the lower edges of said end and side walls, and a top closure panel 15 detachably engaged, preferably through the medium of a gasket 16,

with flanges at theupper edges of said side and end walls.

15 is secured in closing relation with the housing. The exterior diameter of the tube 24 is 'sufiiciently less than the interior diameter of the conduit 23 to leave an annular space adequate for the circulation therein of liquid between the associated conduit and tube, and just above the fitting 22 opposite walls of the conduit 23 are intersected by vertically-elongated, downwardly-tapered openings 25 directed to the compartments at the opposite sides of the partition 18 and terminating at their lower ends in flanges 2'6 inturned to close against the adjacent surfaces of the tube 24. The upper end of the tube 24 exterior to the housing is connected through a suitable fitting 27 with the exhaust gas flow line 28 leading from-an internal combustion engine, and the associated conduit 23 and tube 24 function with water present in the lower portion of the housing and a flow of exhaust gas through the line 28 as a pump or lift operable in reaction to the delivery of exhaust gas through the open lower end of the tube 24 to thoroughly mix and agitate the delivered gas in and with water entering the conduit through the openings 25 and to elevate the gas-water mixture upwardly through the conduit and exteriorly about the tube for discharge from the open upper end of the conduit below the top panel 15. The flanges 26 at the lower end of the conduit openings 25 serve not only to steady and position the lower end of the tube 24 but also operate to deflect water inflowing to the conduit circumferentially of the tube 24 and into the path of the incoming gas as spirally deflected "by and swirling in reaction to said flanges.

Fixed at one end to the top panel 15 in concentric relation with the tube 24, a cylindrical skirt 29, depends interiorly of the housing when the panel 15 is in closing relation therewitth, said skirt having a diameter considerably exceeding that of the conduit 23 and an axial length such as to dispose its lower end between the sheet 21 and the open upper end of the conduit in an annular spacing from and about thelatter. Spacedly about and concentric with the skirt 29, a tubular sleeve 30 of reticulate or foraminous material is disposed in any ap propriate attachmentto the top panel 15 or sheet 21 to span between saidsheet'and top panel for the definition of a cylindrical chamber or well housing the skirt 29 and upper portion of the conduit 23 in that portion of the housing above the sheet '21 and below the top panel 15.. Similarly spaced inwardly from and disposed "to parallelthe'housing end-walls and 11, baffles 31 "close at their ends against and span between the h'ousing'side walls 12 and 13 in sealing coaction of their upper than gins with the top panel 15 to define like outlet compartments at the upper end corners of the housin'g'from which discharge of gases maybe had through thimbles 32"carried 'by and adjacent the corners ofisaid panel 15'. The baffis 31' depend within the housingfa'idistance somewhat less than half the space between the panel and'gsh'e et 21'and are spaced from the" adjacenthousing' end Wajlls so as to; approximately divide the minimum distance separating the 'sleeve'fitl "from said end walls.

The thimble's 32" are provicled for then roun'ting and'oper- I ative-conneetion of anoutflowline 33 through which the output from' the housing -may beled and directed to ultimate discharge, when, suchan 'arrang'ement is "desired; it being expedient to connect corresponding thimbles'at the opposite ends of the housing with'a single housing water charge.

'For operation as an exhaust gas conditioner in accordance with the principles of my'Patent No. 2,61l,680,the housing is-charged with water to the level determined by 'the ports-fl, an intersticed charge of broken 'limerock, or equivalent material, indicated at 37, is placed within and to substantially fill the space in the upper portion of the-housingabove-the sheet 21 and about the sleeve 30, said charge rising' into'close proximity with the top panel l'5"on both sides of the baffie 31, and, preferably although not necessarily, a shallow layer of the material forming the charge 37 is placed within the sleeve 30 and about the conduit 23 in supported relation upon "the sheet'zl, as indicated at 38. Organized" and charged as shown and described, the ports 17 and 36 being plugged, certain of the thimbles 32- 'being connected with the outflow line 33, the unused'thimbles 32 being plugged, and

space-between said tube and the surrounding conduit 23 for intimate diffusion within and agitation of water incoming to said conduit from the two lower compartments of the hou'sing'through the iopeningsflijthe shapeof said openingsfandthe presencefanddisposition of the flanges '26 functioning to assure a thorough and intimate the housing to the thimbles 32 and outflow line 33, it

being quite impossible for any gas'to reachtheoutfiow line without traversing an extended and tortuous path through the charge 37. As the wetted gas travels past the lower margin of the skirt 29 and the lower edges of the bafiles 31 to find outlet from the housing, it is repetitiously scrubbed against and between surfaces of the elements comprising the=c'harges 37 and 38 and thoroughly wets the charge surfaces to condition the limerock for corrective reaction with the'char'ge material, all as is fully described inmy earlier patent, above noted. Through contact with the water introducedthrough the openings 25 and through expansion within the skirt 29 and sleeve 30, the. hotgases.are;-cooled5for outflow from the housing at moderate temperatures, and as the gases enter and pass through the sleeve 30 they are promptly cleared of entrained solid particles which fall through the sheet 21 and grid 19 to the water charge. in the lower compartments of the 'housingwvhere they :a'r'edirected by the "deflectors 35 away from'the Openings 2S and collected as a non-circulating sludge on the outward portions 'ofthe 'bottom panel 14. Water and 'Water vapors entrained by the gases are condensed and dcposited as the gas-water mixture traverses the charges 37 and 38, the water so depositedin excess ofthat necessary to" film the charge material dripping through thesheet21and-grid 19 for returnto andreuse withthe In a size and capacity adequately proportioned to the input of exhaust gases, the improved unit neutralizes and eliminates the noxious and irritating properties and constituents of the gas for ultimate discharge of a harmless, cool vapor free from objectionable properties, all in reaction to the normal flow pressures of the exhaust gases and without the developmentof adverse back pressures.

"Since changes, variations, and modifications in the form, construction, and arrangement of the elements shown and described maybe had'without-departing from the spirit of my invention, I'wish to be' understood as nangnmtma solely'by the scope of theappended'claims, rat-her than by any details of 'theillustrative showing and foregoing description.

-I 'claim as 'my invention:

1. An exhaust gas conditioner comprising a closed, rectangular housing'formed with spacedly-parallelside and end Walls, a bottom panel and a deta'chabletop closurepanel, a foraminous sheetintermediatelyparalleb in'g -s'aid top and bottom panels and dividing the "housing inter-ior into an upper-"portion and 'a lower portion adapted 'to 'conline a' charge' of water, awondu'it fixed centrally to and upstandingperpendicularly "from "said bottom panel through said sheet with its open upper end spacediffrointhe top panel, 'a cylindrical-skirffixedly' depemnng fiem said top panel spacedly and concentrically about said conduit and terminating in an open 'lowerfend above said sheet and 'below the conduit upper e'ndya foraminous .tubular sleeve spacedly and concentrically aboutsaidiskirt'inclosing relation between said sheet a'dniixturefof the gas and water'as'the inherentbouyancy of the "gasjoperates-toelevate I the mixture through and $9 fj' from theopen upper end of the-conduit. The 'gas -watermixtu're' escaping from the, upper" eiid' of V theeonduit 2 3 impinges against and "is deflected by the superjacent areaof the top panel 15 and .is-cohs'trained I by 'the skirtlZQ toffeturn towafdlthe housing water charge interiorly of thefsleeve Pgll and through the sheetl=21 and any charge of material fifiwhich maybe present he Sl y ike a th or b p s as i nt e housing leadpabout lower margins of the ;baffl es Q51 and --top panel; baffles i depending from said-top panel inwardly from and parallel to'the housing en'd'walls to -define compar-tments' at the upper endcorners of the housing opening toward and-above said sheet, out-lets 'froin'said compartments "through the top-panel,'-='infeed openings in and upwardly adjacent the lower end of the -conduit,. an 'intersticed charge of alkaline material supported by said sheet to substantially fillthe'housing-upper p'ortion about'said foraminous sleeveand said compart- -ment's,*aud--an exhaust gas input tube-through-thetop panelspacedlyand coaxially within'said con'duitwith its delivery end below the infeed opening's of the conduit. --;2.'-'-An exhaust gas conditioner comprising a closed; rec- '"tangiilar housing formed 'with' spacedly-pa'rallel side and end ivalls, abottom panel and a'd'etachable top-closure panel; a"-fora'minous sheet iintermediatel'y: parallelingsaid I top; and: bot-tom'panels' and dividing .the;housing vinterior into an upper portion and a lower portion adapted to confine a charge of water, a conduit fixed centrally to and upstanding perpendicularly from said bottom panel through said sheet with its open upper end spaced from the top panel, a partition at and closing against opposite sides of said conduit in spaced parallelism with the housing end walls to divide the housing lower portion beneath said sheet, a cylindrical skirt fixedly depending from said top panel spacedly and concentrically about said conduit and terminating in an open lower end above said sheet and below the conduit upper end, a foraminous tubular sleeve spacedly and concentrically about said skirt in closing relation between said sheet and top panel, baflles depending from said top panel inwardly from and parallel to the housing end walls to define compartments at the upper end corners of the housing opening toward and above said sheet, outlets from said compartments through the top panel, infeed openings in and upwardly adjacent the lower end of the conduit at each side of the partition, an intersticed charge of alkaline material supported by said sheet to substantially fill the housing upper portion about said foraminous sleeve and said compartments, and an exhaust gas input tube through the top panel spacedly and coaxially within said conduit with its delivery end below the infeed openings of the conduit.

3. An exhaust gas conditioner comprising a closed, rectangular housing formed with spacedly-parallel side and end walls, a bottom panel and a detachable top closure panel, a foraminous sheet intermediately paralleling said top and bottom panels and dividing the housing interior into an upper portion and a lower portion adapted to confine a charge of water, a conduit fixed centrally to and upstanding perpendicularly from said bottom panel through said sheet with its open upper end spaced from the top panel, a partition at and closing against opposite sides of said conduit in spaced parallelism with the housing end walls to divide the housing lower portion beneath said sheet, a cylindrical skirt fixedly depending from said top panel spacedly and concentrically about said conduit and terminating in an open lower end above said sheet and below the conduit upper end, a foraminous tubular sleeve spacedly and concentrically about said skirt in closing relation between said sheet and top panel, bafiies depending from said top panel inwardly from and parallel to the housing end walls to define compartments at the upper end corners of the housing opening toward and above said sheet, outlets from said compartments through the top panel, infeed openings in and upwardly adjacent the lower end of the conduit at each side of the partition, an intersticed charge of alkaline material supported by said sheet to substantially fill the housing upper portion about said forarninous sleeve and said compartments, an exhaust gas input tube through the top panel spacedly and coaxially within said conduit with its delivery end below the infeed openings of the conduit, and deflectors spacedly parallel to the upper margin of the partition inclined outwardly and downwardly from the opposite sides of the partition above the conduit infeed openings.

4. In an exhaust gas conditioner having a closed, rectangular housing formed with spacedly-parallel side and end walls, a bottom panel and a detachable top closure panel, a foraminous sheet intermediately paralleling said top and bottom panels and dividing the housing interior into an upper portion and a lower portion adapted to confine a charge of water, a conduit fixed centrally to and upstanding perpendicularly from said bottom panel through said sheet with its open upper end spaced from the top panel, and an exhaust gas input line through the top panel spacedly and coaxially within said conduit with its delivery end adjacent the conduit lower end, the improvements which comprise a partition at and closing against the opposite sides of said conduit in spaced parallelism with the housing end walls to divide the housing lower portion beneath said sheet, infeed openings in the lower end of the conduit at each side of said partition and above the delivery end of the gas input line, a cylindrical skirt fixedly depending from said top panel spacedly and concentrically about said conduit and terminating in an open lower end above said sheet and below the conduit upper end, a foraminous tubular sleeve spacedly and concentrically about the skirt in closing relation between said sheet and top panel, baflles depending from said top panel inwardly from and parallel to the housing end walls to define compartments at the upper end corners of the housing opening toward and above said sheet, and outlets opening from said compart ments through the top panel; together with an intersticed charge of alkaline material supported by said sheet to substantially fill the housing upper portion about said forarninous sleeve. and said compartments.

5. In an exhaust gas conditioner having a closed, rectangular housing formed with spacedly-parallel side and end walls, a bottom panel and a detachable top closure panel, a foraminous sheet intermediately paralleling said top and bottom panels and dividing the housing interior into an upper portion and a lower portion adapted to confine a charge of water, a conduit fixed centrally to and upstanding perpendicularly from said bottom panel through said sheet with its open upper end spaced from the top panel, infeed openings in and upwardly adjacent the lower end of said conduit, and an exhaust gas input line through the top panel spacedly and coaxially within said conduit with its delivery end below said infeed openings, the improvements which comprise a cylindrical skirt fixedly depending from the top panel spacedly and concentrically about said conduit and terminating in an open lower end above said sheet and below the conduit upper end, a foraminous tubular sleeve spacedly and concentrically about said skirt in closing relation between said sheet and top panel, bafiles depending from said top panel inwardly from and parallel to the housing end walls to define compartments at the upper end corners of the housing opening toward and above said sheet, and outlets opening from said compartments through the top panel; together with an intersticed charge of alkaline material supported by said sheet to substantially fill the housing upper portion about said foraminous sleeve and said compartments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,678,261 Ruth May 11, 1954 

1. AN EXHAUST GAS CONDITIONER COMPRISING A CLOSED, RECTANGULAR HOUSING FORMED WITH SPACEDLY-PARALIEL SIDE AND END WALLS, A BOTTOM PANEL AND A DETACHABLE TOP CLOSURE PANEL, A FORAMINOUS SHEET INTERMEDIATELY PARALLELING SAID TOP AND BOTTOM PANELS AND DIVIDING THE HOUSING INTERIOR INTO AN UPPER PORTION AND A LOWER PORTION ADAPTED TO CONFINE A CHARGE OF WATER, A CONDUIT FIXED CENTRALLY TO AND UPSTANDING PERPENDICULARLY FROM SAID BOTTOM PANEL THROUGH SIA SHEET WHITH ITS OPEN UPPER END SPACED FROM TOP PANEL, A CYLINDRICAL SKIRT FIXEDLY DEPENDING FROM SAID TOP PANEL SPACEDLY AND CONCENTRICALLY ABOUT SAID CONDUIT AND TERMINATING N AN OPEN LOWER END ABOVE SAID SHEET AND BELOW THE CONDUIT UPPER END, A FORAMINOUS TUBULAR SLEEVE SPACEDLY AND CONCENTRICALLY ABOUT SAID SHIRT IN CLOSING RELATION BETWEEN SAID SHEET AND TOP PANEL, BAFFLES DEPENDING FROM SAID TOP PANEL INWARDLY FROM AND PARALLEL TO THE HOUSING END WALLS TO DEFINE COMPARTMENTS AT THE UPPER END CORNERS OF THE 